Guinness World Records Recognizes Cisco Router

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The same book that boasts the world records for most glasses balanced on a chin, the tallest snowman and longest continuous clapping session, now includes Cisco Systems Inc.'s (CSCO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) new machine that directs Internet traffic.

Guinness World Records certified Cisco's CRS-1 router as the highest capacity Internet router at 92 terabits -- 92 trillion bits per second -- of total throughput. That makes it the first networking technology to be recognized by Guinness World Records, which has tracked record-breaking achievements around the world for almost 50 years.

"As the world advances technologically, it is important that we recognize the innovations that will revolutionize global communications," said David Hawksett, science and technology editor at Guinness World Records.

"The reason we like this one is purely because of the numbers involved. The statistics about what this piece of hardware can do were really mind blowing," he said in a telephone interview on Thursday.

The CRS-1, which Cisco unveiled in May, is capable of downloading the entire printed collection of the U.S. Library of Congress in 4.6 seconds, as opposed to a dial-up modem transfer rate that would take 82 years. It is designed for telephone companies to deliver data, voice and video services over the Internet.

Cisco submitted its claim several weeks ago, said Hawksett, who usually deals with 200 claims at any one time. Guinness World Records does not have many business-oriented records like it, but Hawksett hopes to change that.

"Not enough people contact us for science and technology records and what I'd like to say to them is 'Please bombard us,"' he said.

First available in 1955, Guinness World Records now publishes its annual book in more than 100 countries and 37 languages. It recognizes over 60,000 world records in its book and online at www.guinnessworldrecords.com.

For those who were wondering, Ashrita Furman balanced 75 20-ounce beer glasses on his chin for 10.6 seconds in his New York City backyard in 2001; the residents of Bethel, Maine, and surrounding towns over 14 days in 1999 built a snowman measuring 113 feet, 7-1/2 inches; and V Jeyaraman of India in 1988 clapped continuously for 58 hours and 9 minutes.